Anchors



United States The present invention relates to anchoring devices for vessels or hydroplanes of any kind or type, or other purposes where anchors are required. The principal advantages of this anchor are that it can be relatively light weight and still have superior holding qualities for the reason that the anchor is designed to dig into the bottom, principally because of its construction rather than its weight.

An important feature of the invention is that the anchor is provided with six flukes rather than a stock or crowns, as is usual with conventional anchors. For the purpose of illustration I propose to use the terms primary fiukes and secondary fiukes, said primary fiukes being flat and in the form of the letter M with the outside edges being parallel to each other and also the shank.

An important feature of the invention is that both the primary flukes andsecondary flukes are spaced wide apart to the maximum width of the anchor and that both the primary flukes and secondary flukes are pointed and arranged to dig into the bottom simultaneously. In other words, no matter how the anchor may be dropped on the bottom, as soon as it is pulled it will lay fiat and will, by the sharp points of both primary flukes and secondary fiukes dig in, even on a hard clay bottom.

Another important feature of the invention is that it will not roll out, as will conventional anchors where stocks and crowns are used to cause the anchor to dig in and make the anchors initial bite into the botttom. In my research I have found that all anchors employing stocks and crowns with pointed flukes that are relatively close to the shank have a tendency, when dragged through the mud or sand on the bottom, to roll, thus first digging down and then rolling with a circular motion and coming up to the top again and this action is continually repeated unless the anchor just happens to dig down deep enough where the pull is not sufficient to cause the anchor to continually roll. The bottom in which the anchor is buried is also important inasmuch as even a heavy bulky anchor with a lot of cross-sectional area sinks into the mud until it is floating at a definite level and from then on it simply slides along pushing a wad of mud ahead of it. t

In operation on a soft bottom with the present invention a relatively thin, flat, cross-section is presented by the primary flukes Which are buried before the secondary flukes completely take hold. Both primary flukes and secondary fiukes, spaced to the maximum width of the anchor have a tendency to cause the anchor to dig down in a straight line without rolling.

When the anchor of the present invention is dropped on a hard clay bottom, it lands on four sharp points, with an approximate 35 digging angle, which causes them to immediately bite into the bottom, rather than to slide along, like conventional anchors such as the socalled Navy type and others, employing bulky rounded sections, which usually slide along on a hard bottom.

Another important feature of the invention is a simplifled method of manufacture, especially when it is made in small sizes for use inskilfs, small boats, sea planes,

etc.

Another important feature of the invention is that when the anchor is made in small sizes it can be completely assembled from small parts and held together with stove bolts or conventional wagon bolts and wing nuts and disassembled again after use.

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Another important feature of the invention is that when the anchor is manufactured in accordance with the specifications which will be hereinafter disclosed, there is practically no waste excepting the material removed by punch presses or drill shavings if the holes are drilled. This makes for an economical method of manufacture, which is novel and simple as described hereinafter.

Another important feature of the invention is that when it is assembled and held together with bolts and wing nuts, etc., it can be disassembled and carried in a relatively small bag or placed in a fishermans tackle box or other handy place, thus conserving space and providing a neat package which can be reassembled into a fullfledged anchor in a very few minutes.

Another important feature is that when the anchor is made for small boats, sea planes, etc., it has relatively little weight in proportion to its holding power, due to the novel design and construction.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment selected for illustration purposes and from the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown a preferred form of the invention but wish it to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and modification of construction can be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the utility of the invention. These and other features of the invention are described in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the anchor taken on the line 11 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. An alternate position of the flukes and shanks is shown at 1A.

FIGURE 2 is a fiat side view of the anchor invention illustrating the relative position of the fiukes, shank, etc., when the shank is parallel with the fiukes.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the anchor illustrating the position of the secondary flukes and the shank spaced between them, looking from the bottom.

FIGURE 4illustrates the knock-down feature of the novel anchor invention wherein when the assembly bolts are removed all the parts can be stowed into a neat, small package. It can be placed in a bag or tackle box, etc., and handy for reassembly when needed again for use as a complete anchor.

FIGURE 5 indicates a strip of sheet steel stock with shear lines indicating cleavage to form 8 fluke parts. It is to be understood that there is no waste whatsoever I when the sheet steel is out according to the layout indicated. All A parts, as cut, are identical and two parts, back to back, form one fluke. Four A parts back to back form two primary fiukes, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. 5A is an end view of the sheet metal shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 6 indicates a piece of bar stock with cleavage lines, indicating, first, a 30 cut is made, next a 45 cut, next a 30 cut and so on until the bar is completely used up, there being no scrap except on the extreme ends, thus at every shear stroke a part B is cut from stock. 6B is an end view of the bar stock shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 7 indicates a piece of bar stock with cleavage lines indicating that at each cut of the shear or punch, one part C would be cut from stock. This is more clearly shown on FIGURES l, 2 and 3; 7C is an end view of the bar stock shown in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 8 indicates another length of bar stock, the size of the bar stock in all cases being proportional to the size of the anchor. As an example in the case of a skifi or small boat anchor, the material shown could be approximately A" thick and 1 /2" wide and as it passed through the punch, at each stop two holes would be punched and the bar would be cleaved with a half-circle punch, which would form the top of one shank and the bottom of the next one. Thus, at each stroke of the punch a shank would be completely formed and there would be no scrap except the material which was punched out of the holes. 8D is an end view of the bar stock shown in FIGURE 8.

Referring to the drawings, the anchor shank 18 in the several views has an eye 11 at the top and a hole 12a for the hinge pin 12 at its lower end. The shank Ill is provided with a curved bottom with pointed stops 13 on opposite sides. The stops 13 contact dented in portions 14 of the bar strip C on the bottom of the anchor thus limiting the travel of the shank to approximately 35 as shown. In other words, the fiukes can swing away from the center line of the shank to approximately 35, which constitutes the digging angle of the anchor when it is pulled along the bottom by an anchor cable attachment at the eye 11.

The fiat sheet fluke parts A, as cut, are identical in confirmation excepting that they are later indented and formed right and left for the passage of a hinge pin 12 as indicated on the drawings. The same is true of the bar stock fluke parts B. The shank parts 10 are identical. Reinforcing strips C are identical. Spacing washers 15 are identical, therefore, when parts A, B are formed to fit over the hinge pin 12, one-half of these stampings used are formed right and one-half are formed left.

It is to be understood that the preferred method of manufacturing the anchor would be as follows:

First, fiukes would be cut from the sheet shown in FIG. 5 comprising fluke parts A which would have an indentation formed approximately up from the bottom comprising an elongated transverse semi-cylindrical portion as indicated at 17 on FIG. 1. When two of the fluke parts indicated as A on FIG. 5 are put together back to back and formed to comprise an axis for the hinge pin 12 it is to be understood that the same process is used on both sides of the shank 10, that is, a right fluke and a left fluke, comprising four A parts that are fastened back to back over the axis 12. When these A stampings are placed back to back they form the primary fiukes in two thicknesses of metal composed of right and left hand stampings, spaced from the shank It) by the washers 15.

Referring to FIG. 6, strip metal B, when cut to the proper length as previously described, comprise strips on the outside edge of the anchor as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 by the character B. It is to be understood that these metal strips are pointed on the upper end of the anchor and formed as indicated at 18, FIG. 1 to conform with the axis passage for the hinge pin 12. They are further formed as indicated at 19 to comprise pointed secondary flukes on the bottom of the anchor. 1

Referring to KG. 7, strip metal C. These metal strips are simply cut off square at the proper length and comprise the part C, which is a reinforcing piece on the bottom of the anchor, except at the formed section 14, which is pressed to the proper thickness to conform with the stop 13 on the bottom of the shank It) to permit the anchor shank to operate at 35 away from dead center. This is best shown on FIGS. 2 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 8, the strip stock D is simply run through a punch press with the proper stop for length and a specially made punch, which punches out hole 11, the top and bottom of the shank shown at 21 and the pivot hole 12a, through which the pin 12 passes, and the anchor hinges upon.

It is thus apparent that the entire anchor in the form shown can be fabricated from simple stampings with no scrap except for the material removed in punching holes or for extreme end of each strip of metal, which may not come out to the proper length. As previously stated, the anchor can be fabricated and fastened by spot-welding and galvanized or if desired rust proofed and assembled by the bolts or screws 16 making the anchor demountable as indicated in FIG. 4. In many cases, for use in small boats, sea planes, etc. requiring an anchor, it is important that a small space be provided for such anchor and therefore, since this particular invention is very light in Weight and completely demountable and adaptable to be carried in a small package, the advantages of the novel construction are plainly evident by the description and drawings.

It is therefore to be understood that the stove or carriage bolts indicated at 16 can be eliminated and the stampings can be spot-welded together and the entire assembly galvanized if so desired for anchors which are not demountable.

It is also to be understood therefore, that the anchor is a fabricated sheet steel device comprising two halves joined over the hinge pin and mounted thereon and attached to the shank it).

It is to be further understood that they can be detachably mounted over the hinge pin or permanently assembled as desired.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the exact construction, proportions and general dimensions of the anchor without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, therefore, what I claim is:

1. An anchor comprising a shank having one end with a cable attachment and a second end having a central pivot opening; a pivot bar extending through said pivot opening; and a .pair of fluke assemblies supported on said pivot bar, one assembly on each side of said shank, each assembly comprising a pair of flat strips bent into a J shape as seen in cross-section taken transverse to the plane of said bar, said strips being secured to each other on opposite sides of said bar.

2. An anchor comprising a shank having one end with a cable attachment and a second end having a central pivot opening; a removable pivot bar extending through said pivot opening; and a pair of fluke assemblies readily removably supported on said pivot bar, one assembly on each side of said shank, each assembly including a pair of flat strips bent into J shape as seen in cross-section taken transverse to the plane of said bar, said strips being removably secured to each other on opposite sides of said bar, and additional fiat strips positioned between said J-shaped strips and said shank and removably mounted on opposite sides of said bar.

3. A knockdown anchor comprising a flat metal strip punched at each end to provide a shank with holes serving at a first end as a cable attachment hole and at a second end as a central pivot opening; a pivot bar extending through said pivot opening; a pair of first fiat rectangular metal strips positioned transverse to said shank adjacent said second end; two pairs of second metal strips positioned between and secured to said first strips on 0pposite sides of said bar, and having means providing a channel for said bar and having an upwardly and outwardly sloping upper edge; and a pair of fluke assemblies, supported on each side of said shank, each assembly comp-rising a pair of third flat strips bent into a J shape to provide a vertical portion overlying and generally coterminous with the adjacent portion of said second strips and diverging hook portions extending from below said bar, said third strips having channel means to receive the channels of said second strips, said third strips being secured to said second strips.

4. A knockdown anchor comprising a fiat metal shank with holes serving at one end as a cable attachment hole and at the other end as a central pivot opening; a pivot bar extending through said pivot opening; a bottom pair of flat metal strips below the shank pivot end and extending transverse thereto in a plane generally penpendicular to the plane of the shank; two pairs of metal strips having a trapezoidal shape, each pair being placed back to back in the general plane of said bottom strips and extending perpendicularly thereto with the side perpendicular to the bases of the trapezoid generally colinear with the bottom edge of said base, each defining a cylindrical channel enclosing said bar, each said trapezoid having its smaller base closer to adjacent and parallel to said shank; and a pair of fluke assemblies, supported on the outer side of each pair of trapezoidal strips, each assembly comprising a pair at fiat parallelogram strips bent into a J shape to provide a vertical portion overlying and generally coterminous with the "other portion of said trapezoidal strips and diverging hook portions extending from below said bar, and removable means detachably securing said parallelogram strips, said trapezoidal strips and said bottom strips together around said bar.

5. A knockdown anchor comprising a flat metal strip punched at each end to provide a shank with holes senving at one end as a cable attachment hole and at the other end as a central pivot opening; a pivot 'bar extending through said pivot opening and having an enlarged head at each end; a pair of fiat rectangular metal strips each provided with a central notch along one longitudinal edge and having a plurality of bolt openings; two pairs of metal strips having a trapezoidal shape which, when assembled, stand on the side perpendicular to the bases of the trape zoid and having a semicylindrical channel parallel to said side, said trapezoidal strips being disposed on opposite sides of said bar, said bar being in said channel, each said trapezoid having its smaller base closely adjacent and parallel to said shank and its larger base adjacent a head off said bar and having bolt openings, the portion of said trapezoid below said channel lying between said rectangular strips; bolt means detachably securing said rectangular strips and trapezoidal strips together, and a pair of fluke assemblies, supported on each side of said shank, each assembly comprising a pair of flat parallelogram strips bent into a J shape to provide a vertical portion overlying and generally coterminous with the outer portion orE said trapezoidal strips and diverging hook portions extending from below said bar, said parallelogram having channels to receive the channels of said trapezoidal strips and bolt openings aligned with those of said trap ezoidal strips; and bolt means detachably securing said parallelogram strips and said trapezoidal strips together.

6. An anchor comprising a shank having one end with a cable attachment and a second end having a central pivot opening; a hinge pin extending through said pivot opening; six pointed flukes supported on said hinge pin, three pointed flukes joined as one assembly on each side of said shank, each assembly comprising a pair of flat strips bent into a J shape as seen in cross-section taken transverse to the plane of said hinge pin, each pair of said strips being secured to each other and a fluke on opposite sides of said hinge pin.

7. An anchor of the stockless, plural-fluke type comprising primary and secondary flukes and a shank having a forward end provided with a cable attachment and an after end having a recess forming a pair of stops, said plurality of flukes being pointed and joined together into a flat structure with each fluke fixed relative to the other, a pivot bar mounting said flukes on said shank at said after end with said flukes extending toward the torward end and said shank between said flukes, said flukes being provided above and below said pivot bar with parallel sides and with relatively thin, widely-spaced points on their outside edges, said lower end of said flukes, said points of said primary flukes, and said fluke points of said secondary flukes being adjacent the outside edges or the anchor assembly, said flukes being provided with elongated transverse semi-cylindrical portions forming a cylindrical bearing spaced above the bottom end of said flukes, each of said fluke pairs being fastened. back to back, and said pivot bar being attached to one end of said shank and pivotally mounted in said bearing.

8. The anchor set forth in claim 7 wherein said flukes and said shank are held together by removable screws so that said anchor assembly can be readily assembled and disassembled tor convenient storage and reuse.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,633,626 4/53 Danforth 114-208 X 2,869,503 1/59 Winslow 1l4-208 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ANCHOR COMPRISING A SHANK HAVING ONE END WITH A CABLE ATTACHMENT AND A SECOND END HAVING A CENTRAL PIVOT OPENING; A PIVOT BAR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PIVOT OPENING; AND A PAIR OF FLUKE ASSEMBLIES SUPPORTED ON SAID PIVOT BAR, ONE ASSEMBLY ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SHANK, EACH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLAT STRIPS BENT INTO A J SHAPE AS SEEN IN CROSS-SECTION TAKEN TRANSVERSE TO THE 